Improvement in muzzle-loading ordnance



P. W; ALEXANDER. MUZZLE LOADING ORDNANCE.

N0. 74,478. Patented'Feb.- 1B, 1868.

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FREDERI-GK w. ALEXANDER, OF BALTIMORE, MA YLA Letters Patent No. 7 4,478, dated February 18, 1868; antedated February 6, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT IN MUZZLE-LOADING ORDNANGE.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, Fnunnmcu W. ALEXANDER, of Baltimore city, State of Maryland, have invented a new Apparatusto be Applied to Muzzle-Leading Rifled and-Smooth-BoreGuns, which I call a Calibre- Diminisher, for the purpose of diminishing the calibre of guns after they have been .loaded, so-that any windage of the ball is prevented; and]: do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, referencebeiug had to the accompanying drawings, and to the lettersof referenc'einarked thereon.

The nature of my invention consists in inserting a-hollow cylinder of steelor other metal-into the muzzle of the gun after it is loaded. The thickness of this hollow cylinder is sosarranged asby its insertion to form a new bore in front of the projectile, less in diameter than theprevious bore of the gun itself, thus removing all,

winduge or space around the ball, whereby the gases produced by the combustion of the powder can escape, thus rendering a muzzle-loader equal, in some respects, to a breech-loader. This hollow cylinder or calibrediminisher is held in its place by arms of steel or other metal attached to the trunnions or other part of the gun, and after the gun is fired is removed for another load, and'replaced when the gun is loaded;

To enable others others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation. In the drawings nttached-v V Figure 1 represcntsa gun,'wliicl1, for convenience, is shown as a smooth-bore, though the principle is exactly similar in a rifled guru. v i

A B is the hollow cylinder or calibre-diminishcr, which is bevelled oi? at F G, so as to allow the ball to enter easily when the gun is fired. G C is the gun itself, which may be of any size or pattern, iron, steel, or brass, rifled or smooth-bore. D D are two arms, of steel or other metal,'-which encircle the trunnions-by a ring at one end, and clasp the calibre-diminisher, A B, at its outside part at the muzzle, thus preventing it from being forced out by the ball when thegun is fired.

To remove A B, it is only necessary to remove the pins X X, and either raise or lower the arms D D, which swing on the trunnions; or the two arms, D D, may be attached together by a collar at the muzzle. H is the projectile; J is the powder. v

Figure'2 represents the calibre-diminisher, A B, withdrawn. It is-a hollow cylinder, of steel or other metal, with shoulders at the end which rest on the muzzle of the gun, and it is bevelled oifat F .Gto allow the ball to enter without a shock. In fig. 4, A B is rifled within and rifled outside. Theserifles must correspond with the gun the calibresdiminisher is intended for, and are designed to prevent the calibre-diminisher from turning in the gun, as it would do, as the ball presses against the rifled grooves'in its passage out, thereby obtaining its twist.

In a smooth-bore gun, both the exterior and interior of the ealibre-dimiuishen are smooth, as the only strain is direct, viz, to force it.ont, and the arms, D D, oppose this direct strain directly. If the calibrediminisher be slit from A )3, fig. 2, leaving the slit aboutthe tenth of an inch open, or more in large guns, this opening or room for play will give room for the calibre-diminisher to expand by heat after repeated firings, so as not to stick in the gun, and will also, by"opening slightly, by'the pressure of the ball as it goes but, allow the exterior of the cnlibre-dimihisher to press against the interior of the bore of the gun. All the frictionthereby produced will assist in the retention of the calibre-diminisher. However, this slit is--not absolutely necessary, as the calibre-diminisher cools rapidly by beingwithdrawn while the gun is loaded.

In a rifled an, the exteriorprojoctions of the calibre-dimiuisher willpress sideways against the sides of the grooves of the rifled bore, thus producing. a great amount of friction, and-helping to retain it.

Figure 3 is a projection of fig. 1, and needs no description.

Figure 4 is a calibre-diminishcr for rifled guns, and is rifled on theexterior and interior, thus making it,

as much as possible, part and parcel of the gnuiuto which it is inserted.

Further description is believed to be unnecessary, as the principle is so plain.

What I claim as my invention, auddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- The apparatus termed a calibre-diminisher, for the purpose of diminishing the calibre of smooth-bore or rifled guns after they have been loaded, thus'preventing any wiudage of the ball, and capable of being withdrawn, after firing, for afresh load, and of reinsertion, 8210., as heretofore described.

F. W. ALEXANDER.

Witnesses:

Rosana Gmsanm, J0me TYLER. 

